§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what undertaking Her Majesty's Government gave to the Tanzanian hijackers in consideration of their surrendering during the Stansted hijacking incident in 1982; what intermediaries were involved; and in what way.
§ Mr. HurdThe hijackers were told that, if they surrendered, they would not be returned to Tanzania, but would be arrested and charged with criminal offences. They were told that they would be tried by a British court and that any sentence passed by the court would be served in this country. Direct negotiations with the hijackers were carried out by the police. These undertakings were confirmed in writing on 29 April 1982 after the hijack was over to my hon. Friend the Member of Beverley (Sir P. Wall).
Dealings between Ministers and Members of this House rest on the assumption that undertakings between them will be honoured.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost of keeping in prison Mr. Yassin Membar and Mr. Mohammed Tahir Ahmed of Tanzania, convicted following the Stansted hijacking incident in 1982.
§ Mr. MellorIt is not possible to determine the costs of keeping individual persons in custody. Mr. Yassin Membar and Mr. Mohammed Tahir Ahmed were held in a number of local prisons between 1982 and 1984. In the corresponding financial years, the average weekly costs of keeping a person in an establishment of this type were as follows:
Financial year £ 1982–83 200 1983–84 216 1984–85 241
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now take steps to deport Mr. Yassin Membar and Mr. Mohammed Tahir Ahmed following their recent release from prison.
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§ Mr. WaddingtonNo. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Hayes and Harlington (Mr. Dicks) on 27 November.